Help identifying a mystery plug.

All, As many of you know, I'm helping Svein Utne with some hard to get parts for his E41 in Norway. I need some help to identify a part he's describing to me. Apparently it's at the mast foot in his keel stepped boat and given that my mast is deck stepped, I'm clueless. Here's what he emailed exactly as it came to me. Please someone, tell me what I need to find for him as his " cone shaped carrot" has gone missing, again, here it is without any editing on my part: "The mast has a hole 1 ¼ in diameter that need a plug to lock in place at the bottom. I remember it was laying on the deck when it was in Florida, but it never made it to Norway. It should have been packed better. It looks like a large carrot or come but I think it was made in aluminum". Thanks in advance for any assistance, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA

Glyn,

From my experience with tall ships, the first thing that came to mind when reading Svein's description was that this wedge-shaped piece of hardware is a fid, similar in appearance to a splicing fid, but traditionallly used to secure the topmast to the mainmast. I googled around and it appears that there are some discussions here and there of fids being used to secure keel-stepped masts.

I also ran across this "aluminum fid" product during my quick search. Maybe there are similar pieces of hardware out there that will work with Svein's set up.

http://www.greenboatstuff.com/wilashfid.html

Regards,
Roscoe

E25, #226

Tapered plug function.

Roscoe, Thanks for tossing out your theory, it makes some sort of sense to me but leaves me wondering what could possibly hold such a wedge in place given the flexing of a mast. Svein wants me to find a replacement for the missing part so my appeal is renewed to all reading this to chime in with their educated or other opinions. I'd be appreciative of any more ideas or confirmation of Roscoe's opinion, Glyn

What ever it is it goes somewhere. It might help to get a photo of where it went and work backwards Edd

Edd, I asked him for a photo. He's on a two day race so I hope to get one after the Holiday. Without that I'm clueless. Glyn

I am back, and we won the raice, so I will try to take a picture if I manage to stay awaike. We had to sail 5 hour to get to the starting line, and 5 hour to get home after the raise so I look forward to a long sleep soon.
Regards
Svein

The hole in the mast is about 1 1/4 inch in diameter, but maybe I need to open the wall inside the boat where the mast is secured to see where the bolt will sit, but that will have to wait till tomorrow. Now i am off to bed soon.

That looks like a wiring exit to me?

That looks like a standard Sparcraft wiring exit. Did it have a grommet in it to protect the wires?

Guy

Guy,</SPAN></SPAN>
I think you are right. I unscrewed the plate inside the boat, and it was no hole in the boat that mach the hole in the mast. So now I have blown my cover and shown my total lack of knowledge about boat design, but I am learning.</SPAN></SPAN>
Regards</SPAN></SPAN>
Svein</SPAN></SPAN>